Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 19th August, 2008: Elton John once sang “And all the science, I don’t understand. It’s just my job five days a week.” For those of us who work in the clean tech industry, sometimes it feels like that. This is why the World Future Energy Summit gathers the world’s leading innovators, regulators and financiers of alternative and renewable energy to discuss global policies and the individual new energies.
Money markets are on a heightened state of alert with credit crunch corrections, currency exchange and expensive commodities all giving cause for alarm. Nothing seems easy in the free market at the moment; nothing seems clear cut at all.
So, where are we? We are sixteen months away from new carbon caps being agreed in Copenhagen, three months away from the US election, in the process of implementing EU clean energy directive targets for 2020, ten years away from 850 new coal fired plants coming online and according to Greenpeace, forty years away from the drastic effects of climate change if we don’t cut carbon emissions by 50%.
Lord Browne, Managing Director of Riverstone holdings, believes “carbon will, increasingly be a basis on which winners and losers will be judged but it’s too soon to pick winning technologies. Regulations will be very important in promoting renewable energy investment. Barriers will need to be removed. Stable policies and mechanisms will need to be put in place.”
Investment into alternatives and renewables has reached an all time high, with over $148 billion invested in 2007, up 60% from 2006. With constant scrutiny of energy markets by the media and consumers alike, financiers remain cautious of portfolio choices that will not find foot in the market.
“We build our companies for trade sales or to potentially go public, the key for any of this is very high growth over the next few years. By putting together a product that consumers don’t want, growth won’t happen” says Anup Jacob, managing partner of Virgin Green Fund, a private equity firm investing in renewable energies and energy efficiency technologies.
The World Future Energy Summit is at the forefront of building investor confidence in the industry with three days of comprehensive presentations and discussion by the world’s leading minds in commercializing clean energy. Confirmed speakers for Abu Dhabi’s next summit in January 2009 are:
• Kevin Parker, Managing Director – Global Head, Asset Management, Deutsche Bank
• Mario Zen, Vice-President Business Development, LDK Solar Co.
• Dr. Frank Mastiaux, CEO, E.ON Climate & Renewables
• Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO, MASDAR,
• Dan Arvizu, Director, National Renewable Energy Lab, USA
• Dr. Hermann Scheer, General Chairman of the World Council for Renewable Energy (WCRE)
• Ken Yeang, architect and ecologist
ABOUT THE WORLD FUTURE ENERGY SUMMIT
The World Future Energy Summit held its inaugural event on 21-23 January 2008 in Abu Dhabi under the patronage of H.H. General Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
The first summit in January brought together 11,272 attendees from 77 countries, 213 exhibitors from 23 countries, over 80 speakers and 423 international and regional media.
Hosted by Masdar, WFES 08 took place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre with Credit Suisse as the Principal Sponsor. The Platinum Sponsors were BP, Shell, Standard Chartered and Merrill Lynch and the Gold Sponsors were International Power, Total, Dolphin Energy and Occidental.
Please visit the official website for additional information, www.WorldFutureEnergySummit.com
ABOUT TURRET MIDDLE EAST
Turret Middle East is a leading organizer of conferences and exhibitions and a foundation partner of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre.
The company organizes some of the region’s biggest events including the internationally acclaimed World Future Energy Summit, winner of the AEO Best Launch Event this year and consumer shows such as the blossoming International Fine Art and Antiques Fairs and renowned Taste of Dubai food extravaganza, which Turret ME brought to the UAE.
With a new publishing department expanding rapidly into new markets, the Turret ME team is going from strength to strength. For more information go to www.turretme.com
For more information please contact:
Thaisa Alvarez
Account Manager, Viola Advertising and Public Relations
Tel: +971 2 6449444
Fax: +971 2 6451199
Email: thaisa@viola.ae